PETA takes Vick protest to Atlanta today

Gene Blythe, Associated Press

Protestors participate in a demonstration sponsored by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) at the Atlanta Falcons complex in Flowery Branch, Ga., Monday, July 23, 2007. Demonstrators called for the suspension of quarterback Michael Vick following his indictment on dogfighting charges.

Protestors participate in a demonstration sponsored by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) at the Atlanta Falcons complex in Flowery Branch, Ga., Monday, July 23, 2007. Demonstrators called for the suspension of quarterback Michael Vick following his indictment on dogfighting charges. (Gene Blythe, Associated Press)

After staging a protest at NFL headquarters in New York last week, today People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) invades Michael Vick's home turf.

The Norfolk-based animal rights group plans a noon protest outside the Atlanta Falcons' training facility, part of PETA's "Sack Vick" campaign in response to dogfighting allegations that led to a federal indictment of the star quarterback from Newport News last week.

Early word is that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will wait for the case to play out in court before considering a punishment for Vick. With that in mind, PETA will ask Vick's team to take action.

"We'd like to see the Falcons suspend Michael Vick is the NFL fails to do so," said Dan Shannon, assistant director of campaigns for PETA, who is heading up the Atlanta protest. "The team needs to send a strong message that it is not going to tolerate this level of animal cruelty."

Shannon points out that Goodell has suspended players this year before their criminal cases had gone to trial, and he notes that in 2004, the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers suspended forward Qyntel Woods while he was the subject of a dogfighting investigation.

"It's not like there's no precedent," Shannon said.

He said PETA will work to keep the case in the public's eye until it reaches a resolution.

One thing he doesn't want to see, Shannon said, is Vick sitting out all or part of the season on a leave of absence.

"That's a paid vacation," Shannon said. "To be honest, if he's not suspended, I think we'd rather see him take the field to play. Then he'd have to deal with everything -- the boos from the fans, the questions from reporters every day, all the repercussions."